Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Alright – are you ready to party?! Today we’re sharing stories of how each of us met our house. Remember, you don’t have to own your home, it can be an apartment, and you don’t even have to particularly like the place. I just think the stories will be interesting. Okie dokie, I’ll go first…seeing as this is my blog and my party :-).

About two years ago I was going through a horrible divorce (is there any other kind?) and I was trying to focus on building a new life for my son and myself. I desperately wanted a home for us. True, we could have created a home anywhere, but I wanted a house that was near my son's friends and that truly felt like a haven to us. Without a big budget, I knew finding a home in our "desired" neighborhood was going to be a challenge - but I wasn't going to give up.

One day while looking online I saw a listing for a cute little 1700 square foot brick home in the right neighborhood for the right price. My heart almost jumped out of my chest. The house spoke to me. I know that sounds ridiculously cheesy, but it's true. It said "Hey, I'm your new home. You and your son will be very happy here." I would have made an offer right then and there, without even seeing the inside. The problem? Our old house hadn't even been listed yet, and I couldn't possibly make an offer while still being responsible for another house.

I contacted the realtor, and ended up seeing the inside (which only confirmed my love for the house...despite burgundy bathroom countertops and wallpaper borders) and I told the realtor to keep me posted on any offers. I literally called her twice a week asking if “my house” had sold yet.

Here's the magical part...our old, boring house that was in a so-so neighborhood sold within a week of being listed. My beautiful, wonderful dream cottage sat on the market for more than 2 months until I was able to put in an offer. We were being looked out for, that's for sure.

Our cottage isn't perfect, but I love it. I love the new life it represents for us; I love its warm embrace after a long day; I love that it's filled with love and laughter. I try to remember everyday how blessed we are and how grateful I am for our beautiful, imperfect little home.

Okay – Now it’s your turn. How did YOU meet your house? Link up your own story below.

Well, first of all -- first things first; love the slippers. My daughter Anne has the same pair! I borrow them when she is not looking.

Your brick cottage is so charming; no wonder you fell in love with it. Don't you just love the "online dating" that's possible now with real estate listings? Makes stalking our favorite houses so much easier.

This is such a great link party idea, and I love hearing the stories behind how everyone "met" their homes. Even though they truly are just structures, it still amazes me how the right house can change your life! Thanks for hosting and sharing your inspirational story!

My house and I met in a similar way. We were meant to be; and although I loved my old place, I adore this new one because it's all mine -- All my decorating ideas and schemes, all my own colors, all my payments!!

I forgot to say thank you yesterday for hosting the party! I guess I was too excited to write my own story and to read the other stories. It was a lot of fun! And your house is super cute, I can see why you loved it right away.

Ack .. I am too late ... oh well what lovely houses and wonderful stories. Our love story with our house has just started. We are in the last stages of signing the contract and then a 2500m² garden and farm house will be ours to house our dogs, ducks, hens and a donkey :) Peony Farm House

The next time I read a blog, I hope that it does not fail me just as much as this particular one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, nonetheless I actually believed you would probably have something useful to talk about. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something you could fix if you were not too busy looking for attention. my site